Trail network intrigues ATVers

Sunday

Jun 30, 2013 at 6:00 AM

By Paula J. Owen TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

For avid Massachusetts ATVers, the prospect is one of their ultimate fantasies — a network of hundreds of miles of trails in Massachusetts, at state-of-the-art facilities, all legal to ride on to their hearts’ content.

The idea is not so far-fetched on a smaller scale, says Dick K. O’Brien, chairman of the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board — a state board that advises the Department of Conservation and Recreation on trail issues and advocates in general for good, high-quality, sustainable recreational trails.

For the past year-and-a-half, the trails advisory board has met with the DCR and other conservation and recreation groups to discuss the possibility on a somewhat smaller scale at Pittsfield State Forest and also to create and promote recreational destinations for ecotourists throughout other state-owned parks.

Mr. O’Brien estimates that there are 150,000 All Terrain Vehicle and Off Highway Motorcycle owners in the state, although only a third to half of them are registered.

“But, as for legal and sustainable trail systems, they really have no place to go,” Mr. O’Brien said. “There are miles of trails that they use, but they are illegal trails. I’m not opposed to ATV use, but it needs to be done on a trail network designed for that use, otherwise the damage that can occur is extreme.”

He said on some trails there are erosion gullies 6 to 10 feet deep.

In Pittsfield, the DCR is trying to catch up and redo the trail system to make it more appropriate for ATVs, he said.

“Those trails were never designed for ATV use,” Mr. O’Brien said. “But, at the rate they are doing it, it would take decades before they are complete.

“A typical ATV person from the eastern part of the state who packs up his equipment and drives three hours to Pittsfield wants a system of 30 to 50 miles of trails that they can ride on so they can spend a day out there. They don’t want a two-mile loop trail that they have to drive 20 times to get a good experience and drive back home.”

The problem is, there is so little money allocated for trails, but Mr. O’Brien said he and others are hoping that will change.

“We’re putting together a package of trail improvements across the state to go to the Legislature with,” he explained. “They’re working on the next environmental bond bill and we’re hoping to convince the Legislature to include some capital funding for major trails projects.”

In Pittsfield, the vision is for a state-of-the-art, professionally designed and developed ATV park — the only one in the state, Mr. O’Brien said.

“You have to begin somewhere,” he said. “But, even on a good weekend, the facility could handle at its maximum 1,000 riders per weekend. There is no easy answer to this.”

The DCR is still in the review process, is looking at parks and trails suitable for ATV use, according to Paul J. Jahnige, director of the Greenways and Trails program for the DCR, and has not yet sought public input.

Motorized use is allowed in eight parks (mostly on the East Coast), he said, but only on a limited basis on around 10 to 20 miles of trails or less at each — none in Central Massachusetts.

“For several years we’ve been doing site analyses, but we don’t have any final decisions,” Mr. Jahnige said. “We talked about allowing motorized-use because we’re trying to enhance the experience. It would mean a better riding experience and more miles of trails. Any time we can enhance the recreational experience for users there are benefits to the community in public health and community development opportunities. We are looking across the state to enhance the experience for users at our various parks.”

The possibility is an exciting one for ATV users, says William J. Atchison, sales manager for 20 years at Central Mass Powersports in Lunenburg.

“It would be fantastic,” Mr. Atchison said. “It would help the economy and there would be more tax and registration money to help fund trail maintenance.”

Most people head up North, he said.

“There is nothing legal in Massachusetts,” Mr. Atchison said. “They use the local woods and sandpits, but if they don’t have the landowners’ permission, they are trespassing. It makes the guy just trying to have some fun a criminal. There is no place for them to go, really.

“You have to register, but the state is not providing any good trail systems for anyone to ride on. If an ATV park in the state opens up, you’ll have a bunch of happy people. People who buy machines have to truck-and-trailer them all the way up to New Hampshire and we’re missing out on some state revenue (we would bring in) if we had a place to ride in Massachusetts. It would be an attraction and benefit the local economy.”

But Mr. O’Brien said there could never be enough trails to accommodate all ATVers.

“Even if they were to find 10 areas across the state they could develop — costing about $15 to 20 million apiece to develop —with 1,000 visitors each weekend maximum, that is only 10,000 riders, yet you have 150,000 ATVs in the state. Even in the wildest dreams of ATVers you’d never have enough facilities to take care of the demand here.”

Property owners are reluctant to allow access on their properties like they have for the Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts all the way up into Canada, he said, because ATVs do not operate on snow cover and there is potential for severe damage.

“You find many people taking vacations outside of the state to satisfy their desire to ride and the state losing potential revenue and income,” he said. “They’re spending money on gas, food and lodging and right now they’re spending it in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Canada and not here in Mass. There is a balance that can be struck to accommodate a certain amount of ATV use.”

The advisory board is looking at enhancing the experience for all users, he said, and marketing the area as a vacation destination including Leominster State Forest as a mountain biking and hiking destination and the Mass Central Rail Trail — 104 miles of trails connecting 24 communities from Boston to Northampton. The DCR recently took over design and construction of the 24-mile section of the MCRT from Waltham to Berlin, he said, and is joining existing efforts to pave or add compacted stone dust to trails. The MCRT runs through several Worcester County communities including Berlin, Clinton, West Boylston, Holden, Rutland, Barre, Oakham, New Braintree and Hardwick.

“With the MBTA’s new station in West Fitchburg, the distance from Leominster State Forest and the new station is a half mile,” Mr. O’Brien said. A component of a smart growth planning effort within a 2.5-mile radius of the station includes looking at open space and recreation opportunities, he said.

“The Montachusett Regional Trails Coalition is looking to attract hikers and mountain bikers from Boston for the weekend or a week of mountain bike riding and biking,” he said. “With Great Wolf Resorts in the process of closing on the hotel off Route 31, there are discussions about a willingness for them to enhance the visitation experience by offering greater recreational opportunities other than just the water park. There is tremendous potential with the rail line to secure visitors.”

He said people take the train now to go skiing at Mount Wachusett and the Crowley family that runs the ski area provides a shuttle from downtown Fitchburg to Wachusett.

“We could offer opportunities from the West Fitchburg station to mountain biking, hiking and leaf peeping, and the hotel could hire tour guides for bike riders to diversify the recreational opportunities and create a larger market for them.”

Though there is already a strong contingent of bikers and hikers using Leominster’s trails, he said there is a possibility of a new influx of people with the new station and resort.

“If we are deliberate and work together and plan this, we can create a first-class opportunity here and economically the region will benefit tremendously by that,” he added. “But trying to get the trail community here in Massachusetts all on the same page and promote these three projects is a significant task.”

Contact Paula Owen at powen@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @PaulaOwenTG.